A three-day international conference on Interventional Neuroradiology was held at the Sree Ramachandra Medical College near Chennai, from 28- 30th of November, and the meet highlighted the latest technology to treat strokes.

Named Ramachandra Advanced Interventional Neuroradiology (RAIN –2003), the conference was attended by more than 250 delegates, including renowned speakers from England, Sri Lanka, France and Abu Dhabi. Conducted at the convocation hall of SRMC, the event was organized by the Department of Radiology & Imaging Sciences of SRMC, according to Dr.Santhosh Joseph, organizing secretary of RAIN 2003.

According to Dr.Santhosh Joseph, the conference focused on Detachable Coil Embolization, a latest technology to treat brain aneurysms and helpful to offer effective treatment to strokes, which is the third largest killer after heart diseases and cancer.

The method will be especially useful to control subarachnoid hoemorrhage, the deadliest form of stroke causing brain hemorrhages. When aneurysm ruptures, blood flows into the brain causing subarachnoid hoemorrhage. In this, blood flows into the space surrounding the brain causing life-threatening blood clots in the brain.

The new method, popularly known as ‘Endovascular Coil Embolization’, is a less invasive procedure and could be conducted as an alternative to surgery. Until recently, the only surgical approach to the problem was to open the skull and attach a clip across the aneurysm to prevent the entry of arterial blood.

The Coiling method is less invasive and requires significantly less time for recovery in comparison to the traditional brain surgery and aneurysm repair. The procedure lasts only a couple of hours. The patient was required to stay in the neuro-intensive care unit only for an overnight and could be discharged within two days, said Dr.Santhosh.